The King and the Criminal
by Chazzam
Summary: This is a side fic for The Sidhe, involving quite a bit of Klaine but focusing on the relationship between two OCs.  Don't read this until you finish The Sidhe!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ** So this is a little something focusing on my Ocs from The Sidhe, Tash and Firae. Quite a few people requested something centered around them, and the idea kept nagging at me even as I was writing a one-shot of Kurt and Blaine's wedding. So here it is – hope you like!

Tash and Firae are mine, but Kurt, Blaine and Puck are not. I am borrowing them from Fox and Mr. Murphy et al, but I promise to return them in the condition in which I found them.

* * *

><p><strong>The King and the Criminal: Chapter 1<strong>

* * *

><p>Firae's life was never as easy as it may have appeared.<p>

When he was very small, it never bothered him that his mother wanted a daughter. Of course she did; a boy would suffice to ascend to the throne if no other options were present, but everyone knew that women made better leaders.

It hadn't really hurt until she died, far too young and rather unexpectedly. And suddenly Firae was all that there was. She had never prepared him to lead, had never helped him to cultivate those skills that a shrewd sovereign must possess. And really, why would she? She had always planned to have more children, to have the daughter she had always wanted. And Firae was only a boy. Why waste her time?

Firae's father had only been his mother's lover, never her lifemate. Never a King. Queen Gira had proudly worn the red bracelet until her dying day.

Firae became King because, simply, there was no one else for it.

And _no one _thought he could do it.

In the beginning, his mother's advisers simply told him what to do, and he obeyed them. He didn't think he could do it either, and he was horribly afraid of destroying the legacy of his matrilineal line.

But Firae had a secret. He wanted to be great.

He wanted to be remembered for more than simply keeping the Eastern Border Lands intact during his rule. He wanted to show them – show everyone – that he could be as great as his mother and his grandmother and her mother before her. He could be better. Even if he was a man (well, a boy, but _almost_ a man), and even if he would never give his Queendom a Queen. For in this, his preference for men was less than ideal. And Firae was no wearer of the red bracelet, either. Firae wanted to fall in love and find a lifemate. He had known this about himself for a very long time.

A King as sovereign was difficult enough. But two kings? No one thought that was a good idea at _all._

Unless, of course...

Well, it would be a different matter altogether if he were to find another royal, of course. Or a boy from the Spiral caste, unlikely as that might be. The prestige that either of these scenarios would bring the Queendom could make all the difference, well and truly. And then Kurt was sent to live in the Great Hall and train in Cloudlen, and everything seemed to be falling into place.

Even though, in the end, that hope was soundly crushed. It didn't matter anyway. By then Firae had the respect he had been seeking. By then he had a handle on ruling. He could possibly even marry a member of the circle caste without raising any eyebrows. And that opened his dating pool considerably.

What he had not been anticipating was falling in love with an exiled criminal of the common caste. Educated, yes, and beautiful and passionate and brave.

But not an option for Firae.

* * *

><p>Tash would not be seeing his husband again.<p>

He had known this for a long time, and his heart only surged with hope for the briefest moment when he found that his exile had been lifted for the Eastern Border Lands.

He was still exiled from the Lower Midlands, so he couldn't go and see Lee. He sent word of his return, even wrote Lee a long letter full of begging and remorse, but to no avail.

It was a long time before Lee sent him any kind of response. When the letter carrier finally had something for him, it was a small pouch made of tough leaves and bound with twine. Inside were Tash and Lee's promise pendants, and a note.

All it said was this:

_I have remarried. Please do not contact me again._

Not even Tash's family wanted to visit him. As far as his feririar and in fact all of the Lower Midlands were concerned, Tash had ceased to exist, and they seemed to prefer it that way.

It was when he was sitting in the gardens of the Great Hall one day, glumly stroking the promise pendants, that he had found his first piece of fondness for Firae.

He had instinctively disliked Firae even before meeting him; he was Gira's son, and Gira was the one who had made Tash's exile turn from a gesture into a reality. It was her guard that had escorted Tash to the border and hurled him through. It was her priestesses that blocked Tash from the possibility of a safe return.

Of course, Firae had sent some of those very same priestesses to lift the spell and bring Tash back through. But he only did it to please Kurt, and that made him seem pitiful to Tash. So no, Tash hadn't liked him.

But on that day in the gardens, when Tash was undeniably the pitiful one, Firae had stopped before him and given him a look of sympathy.

"I wouldn't have done it, you know," he said.

Tash looked up at him.

"What I mean is...I probably would have seen the exile through, before my soul-walk. I probably would have just approved the request without even thinking about it. But_ I _never would have exiled you in the first place for what you did. Not from my Queendom."

Tash stared at him in surprise.

"_You_ were the one wronged, Tash. I don't care what Chuya says."

Chuya was the very old-fashioned and fairly humorless Queen of the Lower Midlands.

That wasn't the moment when Tash began to see Firae with his heart instead of just his eyes. But that was the moment when Tash realized that he might just like living at the Great Hall in Cloudlen.

* * *

><p>Firae wasn't sure when it actually happened. It was years after Kurt had married Blaine, and Kurt was once again pushing and whining and manipulating Firae to try and get his way. At one time, Firae had actually found such behavior endearing. But now it was starting to wear very thin.<p>

Finally Firae had snapped and said, "you can't just expect me to give you whatever you want, Kurt. I'm not in love with you any more!"

He hadn't realized it until he said it. But when he said it, he knew that it was true. Somehow, without even noticing it, he had fallen out of love with Kurt.

Kurt had stared at him for a moment, stunned, and Blaine was holding his breath, probably without meaning to, staring at Kurt as if afraid – genuinely _afraid – _that Firae's statement might really upset Kurt in some way.

Finally, Kurt sighed. "Pity," he said with a smirk. "It was quite useful while it lasted."

Firae and Blaine both smiled and rolled their eyes, catching one another in a glance and smiling just the slightest bit more with the eye contact.

Firae and Blaine didn't become friends then, but something settled between them then. It was like a mighty exhalation in the energy that surrounded them.

It wasn't common for Firae to seek Blaine out on his own, separate from Kurt, but it wasn't so outlandish a thing to do that Blaine was shocked when Firae found him on the farm one fine spring afternoon.

He had to talk to someone, and Blaine was someone. That was all he understood of his own actions.

Firae felt a bit awkward walking onto the farm, though years of experience allowed him to disguise all evidence of his discomfort. This was such a different world, so clearly _Blaine's_ world, and Firae didn't want to end up facing the Wrath Of Kurt if he said or did something to offend the human.

After asking a few wide-eyed and deferential farm hands who clearly were not used to the King of a neighboring Queendom strolling across their place of work, he was able to locate Blaine at one of the paddocks where he was vigorously brushing down some of the livestock with a young Sidhe girl.

Blaine was shirtless under the afternoon sun, and reached to swipe an arm across his sweaty forehead as he spoke animatedly with the girl. His body had grown leaner and more muscled from years of hard work, and his skin was browner, putting the colors of his marriage tattoo on even bolder display. The girl was gazing at him with abject reverence, and she blushed absolutely crimson when Blaine laughed gently at something she had said. She was obviously smitten, and Firae could certainly see why.

In recent years he had began to see Blaine as the man that he was rather than as the man that had cost Firae a lifetime of happiness. Blaine was beautiful and charming and genuinely sweet and kind. He was also surprisingly intelligent and intensely loyal and devoted to Kurt. And as Firae had let go of Kurt as a love interest and embraced him as a friend, all of these qualities ceased to become reasons for Firae to hate Blaine.

Firae still wasn't sure if he completely liked Blaine yet, but he had come to respect him. He had even come, in some ways, to admire him.

Which he supposed was more or less why he was here.

When Blaine spotted him, his face broke into a wide grin and he waved enthusiastically.

This was another reason that Firae both admired and somewhat resented Blaine. He was so friendly and it seemed incredibly natural and unforced. On a deep and unspoken level, Firae suspected that Blaine was simply a better man than himself, and it irritated him.

And yet he had come here looking for Blaine. Looking for him and no one else.

Firae smiled as he approached, because he couldn't help it when Blaine's smile was so bright and infectious.

"Firae!" Blaine cried out happily, and pulled him into a tight hug. Firae forced his limbs to remain loose, to return the embrace comfortably.

"What are you doing here?" Blaine asked as he pulled away. "Kurt isn't-"

"Oh. No. I'm not looking for Kurt. I came here looking for you."

Blaine looked puzzled but his expression remained pleasant.

"I was wondering..." Firae inhaled deeply, and pushed through the barrier of pride that stood between himself and what it was that he needed. "I was wondering if we could talk, Blaine. You and I. I...you seem busy here, so I can come back later if..."

Blaine waved his hand, dismissing the idea. "Oh, I think I can spare some time for the King of the Eastern Border Lands. Are you all right here on your own, Lise?" Blaine turned to the girl who had become a frozen statue of her former self, staring between Blaine and Firae with saucer-wide eyes.

"Um, y-yes, I..." she stumbled into an awkward bow. "Forgive me, your _majesty_, I...I shouldn't presume, I..." Firae smiled at her and leaned in to give her a light kiss on the cheek. She gasped.

"Please," Firae said, "speak freely."

Lise took a deep breath. "I just...I wanted to say that I admire you. My mothers have told me what it was like before, and...it is truly an honor to meet you, sir."

"The honor is mine, my flower. Thank you for your kind words."

Lise blushed an even deeper red than she had when she'd made Blaine laugh. She cast Firae a nervous smile before returning to work.

"It's a pity you aren't inclined toward women," Blaine laughed as the two of them walked across the field. "You seem to have quite the effect on them."

Firae grinned. "Yes, well, you would know something about that, wouldn't you, Blaine?"

Blaine blushed slightly and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, I don't know. I guess I don't really notice whether or not...I mean, Kurt gets jealous sometimes, but I don't think...I mean, _he_ thinks, but I don't think...uh...what did you want to talk about, Firae?"

Firae laughed. "Not your sex appeal, relax. I just...I suppose I wanted to ask for some advice." Firae cringed slightly, knowing that he had not successfully disguised his nervousness this time. Blaine studied him for a moment.

"I'll tell you what," Blaine finally said. "Why don't you give me a few moments to get cleaned up properly, and then we can talk about it over lunch."

Firae exhaled deeply, not sure where exactly the sense of relief was coming from.

"That sounds lovely, Blaine," he said.

* * *

><p>"Tash, you're not admonishing me for daydreaming."<p>

"I don't _admonish_ you, Kurt, I _redirect _you. And you really shouldn't daydream; this is important."

"So important that you've been staring off into the distance silently for the past five minutes?"

"What? I have n-"

Tash sighed, giving up with barely the thought of a fight when Kurt arched a practiced eyebrow at him.

"Care to talk about it?" Kurt happily shut the large, wood-bound book in front of him with a bang.

"Kurt, we need to-"

"Tash, please. You're not the only one who can turn lessons into a discussion about relationship issues. Or have you forgotten what you were like before I married Blaine?"

"Well, you don't seem to unhappy with the outcome."

"Precisely. So now it's your turn."

"Kurt, there aren't any _relationship_ issues to speak of. I may as well just start wearing the copper armband at this point."

"Tash, you are _not_ becoming a confirmed celibate. You're too young, too spiritually scattered, and far too distracted by the pretty boys at the baths for that."

Tash blushed slightly. "I don't pay that much attention to the pretty boys at the baths," he grumbled. "Only F-" he stopped himself and glared at Kurt, who was smirking at him.

"I thought so," Kurt said triumphantly. "It's Firae. You finally figured it out and now it's torturing you."

"What do you mean I finally figured out? It hasn't been all that long since...it started."

Kurt sighed. "Oh, my dear Tash. In some ways you are so like Blaine – both incredibly romantic and completely oblivious. I knew you had feelings for Firae since the first time you stopped our study session to tell me I was stringing him along and behaving despicably."

"Well, you were."

Kurt glowered at him for a moment. "I know," he finally conceded with a sigh.

"And you're wrong. I still hadn't really gotten to know him at that point, and I didn't particularly care for him, truth be told."

Kurt shook his head and sighed. "Oblivious," he muttered.

"_Anyhow._ That isn't the point. The point is that he is far too young and powerful and...well, brilliant to want someone like me."

Kurt's expression softened. He put his hand on top of Tash's gently.

"Tell me what happened," he said.

* * *

><p>Kurt had slipped out to follow Blaine to bed at some point, though Tash certainly couldn't have said when. He loved discussing history and debating the merits of different political schools of thought with Firae. Firae was a bit arrogant, but he could be self-deprecating too. As they got to know one another better, Tash was delighted to find himself discovering Firae's sense of humor and passionate nature. Firae never made Tash feel like their castes were so far apart. He displayed open reverence for Tash's knowledge and understanding of all those things Firae so desperately ached to learn more about. They both openly laughed with excitement at several points when they realized that they really <em>understood<em> one another, that there was someone else out there who had thought about the same things in the same ways, that neither of them were necessarily as singularly strange as they might have always thought.

The conversation was so comfortable that the rest of the world simply fell away. So animated that Tash could barely contain his excitement to be talking with someone who really understood this stuff, really _cared_ about this stuff.

It had never occurred to him that Firae might be attracted to him. Well, perhaps he wouldn't have been surprised if Firae had propositioned him; he was royalty, and sleeping with those of the lower castes while single was not only ordinary but expected. But he had never thought it could be more than merely that. And perhaps that was why he had never let himself think about Firae in _that _way. He knew Firae was beautiful, but that was only because Tash had eyes that worked. Firae was a King. Firae was now _his_ King. Falling in love with a King was, for someone like Tash, nothing more than schoolboy nonsense.

Except...there had been that moment. That moment when Firae had spoken of the challenges in convincing modern Sidhe to feel in any way responsible for the welfare of humans, and then Blaine had emitted a loud moan of pleasure that rang out from the guest chamber as if in answer to the comment. Tash had smirked. "Perhaps we should leave that to Kurt," he had said. "He seems to be leading by example when it comes to...uh...taking_ responsibility_ for human _welfare_, by the sounds of it."

Firae had laughed, deep and rich, and then something happened. They both reached for the bottle of nectar at the same time to fill their empty glasses, and their eyes met.

Any words that may have been on their tongues dissolved into their throats. They stared.

And they didn't move their hands.

And Tash saw him. He _saw_ him. Not the King, but the man. The beautiful and clever and strong and passionate man, wise beyond his youth.

Their gaze lingered, and Tash willed himself to believe that he didn't see it in Firae's eyes too. Because it _couldn't_ be there, could it? Tash was a convicted criminal of the common caste. He had always been considered handsome, but he knew he was nothing next to Firae.

Hell, he was nothing next to _Kurt._ Kurt was the only man Tash knew of that Firae had loved. And Kurt was breathtaking and pure and noble and _Spiral,_ for the gods' sake. Kurt had never killed anyone outside of self-defense. Kurt had never had sex with anyone under compulsion. Kurt had never followed a _slave-trader,_ justifying it to himself in absurd ways in order to avoid looking at his own despicable weakness.

But Firae was looking at him with intensity, and then the thumb on the hand that was still clutching the bottle of nectar began to stroke Tash's hand gently, and now they couldn't pretend that this wasn't something anymore. Tash just wasn't sure what the _something _was.

It was just a moment, but it had changed everything.

Flustered, Firae had finally seemed to come to himself, jumping up and muttering something about the lateness of the hour before smiling at Tash, red-faced and shy, and almost _running_ to his bedchamber.

Tash had remained in the study room for a good hour, lost in thought.

Firae was young. He was _so_ young. But he wasn't a boy. When Tash caught sight of the muscles in his back when he stretched, the way the water sparkled on his golden skin when he was fresh from the baths...no, he wasn't a boy at all anymore. And really, Tash wasn't so much older. A century at most. There were plenty of Sidhe couples further apart in age than the two of them.

And Firae was King. They couldn't simply be together in an easy way, even if Firae did want him. It would be something they would have to fight for, and how could he even tell if it was _worth_ fighting for? Would it compromise Firae's credibility, when he was working to change so much? Would Chuya throw a fit, perhaps even threaten war?

Was Tash insane to even contemplate this in the first place?

* * *

><p>An hour after meeting in the field, Firae was at Kurt and Blaine's house, waiting for Blaine to prepare tea.<p>

The home was quite pleasant, really; it seemed very small to Firae, who had only ever lived in the Great Hall, but it seemed to be a comfortable size for two people. The rooms were peppered with large windows, and there was a distinct blend of Sidhe and human furnishing and design. The floor was carpeted with a soft but tough strain of moss, and the small table in the sitting room was made of tightly woven vines that grew out of the floor. The sofa and the love seat that flanked it, however, were crafted by human hands and covered in plump, soft red cushions.

Firae looked up as Blaine came in from the kitchen with a tray. He had brought tea, a plate of fruit, flowers and leaves for Firae, and a cheese and tomato sandwich for himself.

"I hope this is all right," Blaine said. "I can make you a sandwich if you prefer, but Kurt doesn't eat cheese or bread, so I figured..."

"This looks perfect. I hope Kurt won't be upset with you for dipping into his honeysuckle supply, though."

Blaine smiled. "I think he'll survive."

Firae poured them cups of tea, and they ate in silence for a few moments before Blaine put his plate down and cleared his throat.

"So, Firae...it isn't that I'm not happy that you've come to me because I am, but you don't usually seek me out like this. I...I have to ask. What exactly is going on?"

Firae sighed. "Gods, Blaine, I don't know. I don't even know why I'm here, and I'm sorry for making you lose an afternoon's work, but I just...I need some advice, and for some reason you seem like the person I needed to get it from."

Blaine seemed utterly disarmed by Firae's open vulnerability. "Is it Tash?" He asked softly.

Firae stared at him, open-mouthed.

"I...but...how did you know that? I haven't told _anyone."_

Blaine shrugged. "Kurt had a feeling."

"_Kurt?_ Why? Did Tash say anything to him?"

"Not that I know of. Kurt's just very good at reading people." Firae was pleased to note that he had absolutely no urge to punch Blaine for the fondness in his voice and the softness in his eyes when he said this. Things were definitely progressing. Perhaps they _could_ be friends.

Firae fiddled with an apple blossom from his plate. "I just...I don't know what to do. Everything is wrong with this. I shouldn't even be contemplating it. It could interfere with everything we're trying to do in the Lands and in Villalu. But I haven't felt this way about anyone since..."

He looked up and met Blaine's eyes. Blaine gave him a slightly awkward smile. He didn't make Firae say it.

"It's good, though," Blaine insisted, sipping his tea. "That you're letting yourself feel it. Letting yourself contemplate it."

"Is it though?"

Blaine nodded firmly. "It is. All that..._crap,_ Firae, that you're telling yourself – those are all problems that can be solved, one way or another. But nothing is more important than love."

Firae snorted. "Really."

"Yes, really. Look and me and Kurt."

"I...I do. I look at you two and...to be honest, if it weren't for the two of you, I don't think I would be considering this. But...you're both so brave. I don't know if I'm nearly that brave."

Blaine stared at him. He had never heard Firae's voice sound so small, had never seen Firae with his defenses down and his personhood on full display before. He still wasn't sure that they could call each other friends, but he did know that he was one of a very tiny number of people who had ever been allowed to see this side of the King before. It was both touching and humbling.

"Firae," Blaine said gently, "you're brave too."

Firae rolled his eyes. "Please, Blaine. You don't have to say that. I don't know that I ever would have been brave enough to rescue Kurt from slavery the way that you did, without any powers to protect you, and I certainly wouldn't have been brave enough to consider giving myself to him out of nothing but love before he even told you that Khryslee existed...and you just left. You gave it all up, your home, your family, all of it, for someone who wouldn't even promise to stay with you. I don't know that I could be that brave."

"No," Blaine said softly, "you're braver."

Firae stared at him in shock.

"You...you let him walk away. You _insisted_ on it. I don't think I could have done that. I love Kurt so much, but there is a part of the love I have that is just _selfish,_ Firae. I don't know that I could have let him go, even if it was the right thing to do, even if it was what he really wanted. That level of selflessness...I think that's the bravest thing I've ever heard of."

Blaine's eyes were slightly downcast, though the admission seemed to relax him slightly, as if it had been weighing on him. Firae was speechless.

"Nothing is more important than love," Blaine continued, repeating himself. "And I think you and Tash could be really good for each other. I think you should let yourself be reckless."

"But..." Firae began, the list of reasons why it was all wrong and irresponsible and selfish of him to pursue this relationship pushing themselves into the forefront of his mind.

"Firae." Blaine touched his arm gently. "Why did you want to talk to _me_ about this?"

"I...I don't really know."

"Well, I think I might. I think maybe you wanted to talk to me because you pretty much knew exactly what my advice would be. I think you knew that if you talked to Kurt or a member of your guard or anyone in your family about it, they would tell you to be careful, and think it through, and consider the effects it could have on your political standing. And I don't think that's what you wanted to hear, because I think that on some level, you know I'm right about this. You have a brilliant political mind, Firae, and about as much charisma as I've ever seen in one person before. The gods will be singing your tale across generations, and I actually mean that _literally._ Now go let yourself be in love. You deserve it."

Firae stared at him for a long, long moment. Blaine simply smiled and took a bite of his sandwich.

"Thank you, Blaine," Firae finally said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

* * *

><p>"I'm just saying you need to be careful, Tash. Think this through. This could seriously affect Firae's political standing."<p>

Tash sighed. "I know. I _know,_ Kurt. But...I mean...I never thought I would feel this way again. And now, I don't know – it seems like maybe he feels it too..."

"He does," Kurt confirmed.

"He...he said that?"

"No, but I can tell. I know him, and I see how he looks at you."

Tash sighed. "Yes, well. It doesn't change anything."

The words sent a jolt through Kurt. They were far too familiar, far too personal. He still remembered, with perfect clarity, all those years ago when he had first told Blaine that he loved him. And that it didn't change anything.

But of course it had changed everything.

"Tash, I'm not saying don't...explore this. I'm just saying that it won't be easy. I just want you to be sure that this is...it isn't just about Firae. It's about you too."

Tash furrowed his brows slightly. He could see nothing but advantage after advantage in this as far as he was concerned. It was Firae who stood to suffer.

"I just mean...in some ways you really _are_ quite a bit like Blaine. I know you've been hurt, but I also know that you really believe in love. I know that you believe it can overcome everything. And I just don't want you to get hurt all over again if you start this with Firae and then he ends up deciding that it's all just a bit too...difficult to fight for."

Tash chewed his lip. Kurt had a point.

Still...no matter how horribly things had turned out, he had never really regretted being with Lee. Love was easily worth ten times the cost of pain when it came down to it.

Kurt laughed. "Tash, you're downright _pining._ Come on, let's go to Khryslee."

Tash looked up in surprise as Kurt stood up.

"But...what..."

"You should probably talk to Blaine, he's better at this kind of thing than I am."

Tash raised an eyebrow, but allowed Kurt to pull him to his feet. "I thought you were blessed with the ability to see what I am feeling before I even figure it out for myself."

"Yes, well, I'm good at _seeing_ what people are feeling, but Blaine is the one that really _understands_ feelings."

Kurt couldn't help but smile sweetly as he said it, his eyes taking on a faraway, love-clouded look. It made Tash's heart ache and yearn because he wanted it so badly, wanted his own version of what Kurt and Blaine had, and now he could almost taste the barest hint of it and it terrified him.

He snapped back to himself and frowned at Kurt slightly.

"All right, but if we are going to do this, then we are taking these materials with us, and I am staying in your guest chamber and we are finishing your lesson tomorrow."

Kurt groaned, but helped Tash gather up the books and scrolls.

* * *

><p>Firae looked out the window at the pink and apricot flush of the setting sun.<p>

"I can't believe we've been talking so long. Blaine, forgive me, I didn't mean to take up so much of your day."

Blaine waved his words away.

"It really isn't a problem, Firae. Sanya and the others have everything in hand, and they would have sent for me if they didn't. Besides..." Blaine glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, blushing and smiling slightly, "...it means a lot that you came to talk to me. I...uh...I've been hoping we could get to the point where we could start to be friends."

Firae smiled back at him. "Me too," he admitted. He was going to say more, but then the air was filled with the faint but unmistakable sound of Kurt's voice, and Firae knew that he had lost his audience when he saw Blaine's face light up. He was fairly certain that a sense of good manners was all that was keeping Blaine from bounding out of his seat and running outside to greet his husband.

As the voice drew closer, it was clear that Kurt had someone with him, although said person was simply allowing Kurt to talk. As they approached the house, Kurt broke into laughter over something, and Blaine's smile grew even wider at the sound.

"I'm home, my Beautiful Blaine!" Kurt cried out as he opened the door. "And you'll never guess who I br-"

The way in which all four men froze when Tash and Kurt entered the room was almost comical.

Blaine and Kurt's eyes met, and they both smiled in understanding. The objective now, of course, would be to get Tash and Firae to actually talk to _each other_ about-

"Tash," Firae breathed, and the way he said it almost made Tash's knees buckle. "I..." he looked around the room and swallowed. "I know you just got here, but perhaps...I mean...after you get settled and have something to eat...perhaps we could take a walk?"

"I'm not hungry," Tash said quickly. "And...after that long grimchin ride, a walk sounds lovely."

Kurt took Blaine's hand and led him to the large picture window that looked out over their front garden. They watched their friends walking off together and Kurt leaned his head against Blaine's, considering them as a couple. They were beautiful men; they both had golden-hued skin, though Tash's was a fair bit darker than Firae's. Tash's chin-length golden hair contrasted beautifully with Firae's long black braid, and his clearwater-blue eyes strikingly complemented Firae's burgundy. They were almost the same height, though Firae was ever-so-slightly taller and leaner, while Tash was a bit more visibly muscled.

"They look good together," Blaine said, as if reading Kurt's mind.

"They do," Kurt agreed, pressing a kiss to Blaine's cheek. "And if _you're_ the one Firae's been talking to about this, we may as well start selecting our outfits for the wedding right now."

Blaine smiled. "I love you," he murmured, turning his head to kiss Kurt properly.

"I love you too," Kurt mumbled into the kiss, cupping Blaine's face gently.

"How long do you think they'll be?" Blaine whispered against his lips.

Kurt smiled. "I think they'll be awhile," he replied, before taking Blaine's hand and pulling him toward the stairs to their bedroom.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I intended this to be a one-shot, but it got away from me length-wise. I don't want to make it more than 2 parts, since I have a bunch of other one and two-shot fics I want to do, but let me know if you all are interested enough for me to write the second part of this. Also...would you want the second part to be rated T or M? I can make it smutty and fluffy or just plain fluffy – let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: ** A thousand apologies for taking so insanely long to update this! I am immensely pleased that so many folks seemed to like this, and the smut-o-philes definitely prevailed with respect to the direction of this chapter, so please note the change in rating.

Hope you enjoy!

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><p><strong>The King and the Criminal: Chapter 2<strong>

* * *

><p>It was not a comfortable silence.<p>

Tash felt his nerves pulled taut as he and Firae walked across the soft grass toward the wooded path on the outskirts of Kurt and Blaine's garden. He tried to think of something, _anything _to say, but he was utterly at a loss. He didn't even know what his King wanted from him. Not really.

Tash definitely knew what _he_ wanted, but he wasn't sure that what he wanted was something Firae could offer. He chewed his lip for a moment before sighing deeply and turning to Firae, not even sure what he was going to say, but feeling like he needed to say _something_.

Before he could even start to speak, however, Firae took his hand and gave it a gentle tug.

"Come on," Firae said. "There's this really pretty spot I found."

Tash allowed himself to be led onto a tiny, overgrown trail that branched off almost invisibly from the main path. They navigated across rocks and roots, their comfort in nature wired into them as surely as it had been for their ancestors. They moved light and sure-footed and quiet through the forest, and Firae did not let go of Tash's hand.

They finally reached a clearing filled with soft, sweet music. A wood nymph was bathing herself on the far bank of the small, clear pond in the middle of the clearing, and she stopped singing only long enough to eye them critically before going back to her ministrations and ignoring them completely. The remnants of a low stone wall bordered the clearing, and Firae tugged Tash toward it.

Tash stared at Firae as they sat down side by side on the wall, but Firae's attention was on their clasped hands. He began stroking his thumb across the back of Tash's hand just like he had on _that night_, and Tash felt his breath hitch at the way the tiny movement sent a jolt of sensation straight to his chest.

Firae looked up and met Tash's eyes, and the intensity there was too much, _far _too much, and Tash knew what he wanted, knew it in every fiber of his being, but he couldn't because Firae was his King and it would be more that impertinent, and he just _couldn't._

Firae reached up to cup Tash's cheek gently with his free hand, his eyes searching and more open than Tash had ever seen them.

"What is it that scares you?" Firae asked softly.

"All of it," Tash whispered, and couldn't stop his voice from shaking.

Firae's eyes darted to Tash's lips for the briefest of moments before returning to meet Tash's intense gaze.

"But what scares you the most?" Firae searched Tash's eyes hard, willing him to name it. To slightly ease the burden that Firae carried, because Firae knew that at this stage all advances had to come from him. It was too socially ingrained in them to do otherwise. But he needed to hear Tash _say_ it, because Firae couldn't bear that kind of rejection again.

Tash willed himself to hold Firae's stare as he spoke. "I...I can't just be a royal consort. I mean, I _could, _but not...not for you."

"Why?"

Tash couldn't keep his eyes from casting down to his lap as he blushed slightly. "Firae..."

"Tash, just...please."

Tash glanced back up and was startled to see that Firae actually looked _scared,_ and it suddenly hit Tash just how much power the King was offering him in that moment.

"Because it wouldn't be enough," Tash finally answered.

Firae inhaled sharply and moved toward him, and before Tash could even properly consider what he'd allowed himself to say out loud, be was being kissed so spectacularly that he almost lost his balance.

It took a moment for Tash to respond, a tiny window, but broad enough for doubts to stir in Firae's mind. He started to pull back on instinct but then he felt Tash's hand in his hair, and Tash turned his head to deepen the kiss and he was _there._ It took almost no time for the rest of the world to sink below their conscious awareness, and the connection they shared flowed through their veins and squeezed at their hearts and made them sigh and melt into one another even more.

The nymph continued to sing at the edge of the pond, her clear, reedlike voice dancing across the gentle breeze. Blossoms broke free from the trees around them and swirled through the air, and it was all so fresh and green and it was _spring,_ and twilight was beginning to settle in around them and Tash was dizzy with it all and a little bit panicked, because he could already feel himself starting to fall in love.

Tash pulled back and Firae gazed at him, eyes glassy and cheeks flushed.

"Firae..." his voice shook, even on a whisper. It was as if they were in a too-perfect bubble, and it all felt as fragile as pixie wings. Tash swallowed. "Are...are you sure?"

"About you?" Firae asked softly, brushing a strand of Tash's hair out of his eyes. "It's probably one of the few things I _am_ sure of these days."

"I...Firae, if we're going to do this, it can't just be...I can't...I need to know. How far are you willing to take this?"

Firae continued to stare at him with soft eyes, stroking Tash's cheek with the pads of his fingers. Tash closed his eyes and sighed.

"You really are beautiful, do you know that?" Firae murmured. Tash opened his eyes, brow furrowed. Before he could respond, Firae brushed his index finger over Tash's lips and continued. "I could look at you all day, Tash, really. But I wouldn't step outside of convention and tradition and expectation for just a pretty face." Firae sighed and his smile turned bittersweet. "Being with me...you lose the luxury of just letting things happen naturally to some degree. But you seem to know that already. And...I want it all, Tash. Marriage. Children. _Several _children, if I'm honest." Tash's eyes went so wide at this that Firae threw his head back and laughed. "Well, you wanted to know how far I'm willing to take this. Now you know."

Tash moved his mouth, but couldn't seem to produce any sound. After a couple of tries, he finally managed, "You would want marriage and children...with _me?"_

Firae bit his lip and cast his eyes to the ground, and gods, was he actually _blushing? _Tash had certainly never seen him do that before.

"I...I'm not trying to put pressure on you. We can just...see where it goes at first. But I want you to know that that is what I'm looking for in a relationship. And I feel...very _strongly_ about you, Tash."

Tash couldn't fight back the tears in his eyes. "This doesn't make sense," he croaked.

Firae looked at him with surprise.

"It doesn't make _sense,_" Tash continued, his voice stronger and louder. "Firae, did Kurt really hurt you so much that you – why would you want _me?_ You...you know what I've done."

Firae frowned. "Married men are off limits. Everyone knows that."

Tash shook his head. "I don't mean _that._ I...I mean...well, you know what I was doing in Villalu. The kind of company I was keeping. The line of work I was in. What I did to human men. What I almost did to _Blaine."_

Tash didn't even realize that he had been drawing in on himself as he spoke, arms wrapped tightly around the front of his body, until Firae reached over to rub his arm gently, pulling Tash's hand into his own and lacing their fingers together.

"I know," he said. "But you know it was wrong and you can't change the past. And I can't judge you on what you did to survive in Villalu."

Tash glared at him, anger rising in his throat at Firae's serene acceptance of Tash's past.

"Firae, I didn't have to _rape_ men under _compulsion _to survive! I didn't need to help sell and transport _slaves! _I made those choices because I...because..."

Firae simply looked at him, his expression unreadable.

"Because I'm a terrible person," he finished miserably. "And you deserve better than me. _Far_ better."

"There is no such thing as better than you," Firae said, raising Tash's hand to his lips to kiss the back of it.

Tash choked back a loud sob, clutching Firae's hand for all it was worth. He couldn't speak, so he didn't try.

"Tash, your actions were horrible, I won't insult you by denying that. But your situation was horrible too. And we...the Royal caste crafted the non-interference doctrine. The Royal caste didn't simply outlaw human pets, we cut ourselves off from humans entirely. We didn't teach our children how to interact with them. Tash, you are one of the most educated elves I know, and I don't imagine that even _you _were taught to regard humans as people."

Tash looked up nervously, allowing his eyes to meet Firae's.

"And that is _my_ burden, Tash. You may have hurt some individuals, but I have been complicit in destroying the lives of _thousands._ If Kurt had never come back, I would never have even spared a _thought_ for the horrors that have been happening in Villalu. And it was never a matter of survival for me. I could have confronted the situation at any time. I simply chose not to."

Firae's eyes were pained. It felt like a knife to Tash's heart to see it.

"There is so much blood on my hands, Tash, I could _bathe_ in it," Firae admitted, his voice catching and his breath shuddering. He closed his eyes and swallowed.

"Firae," Tash said softly, and hearing Tash speak his name seemed to bring Firae back to himself slightly. He opened his eyes.

"I don't believe that the changes you have been making are all Kurt's doing. I think you would have come to it on your own if it hadn't been for him, when the time was right."

Firae laughed bitterly. "And when would that be? On my death bed, perhaps?"

Tash took Firae's free hand in his, and brought both hands to his lips, kissing each of Firae's knuckles softly. "I know that being a great King is very important to you," Tash said. "But I know that being a great person holds even more importance. No matter how much power you hold over others, your ego doesn't overshadow your heart. And that's why I lo- that's why I feel the way I do about you." Tash's mouth tugged itself into a slight smirk. "Your majesty," he added for good measure.

Firae pulled Tash into his arms and held him tight. "Don't _ever _think that you're not good enough for me," he whispered into Tash's hair. "After everything you've been through...to come through it and be the man that you are...you're incredible, Tash. And you really don't need to call me _your majesty_."

Tash laughed softly, wrapped in Firae's solid warmth.

The sky was fully dark and the nymph had long since ceased her singing and wandered home.

They held each other a little longer.

* * *

><p>When they reached Kurt and Blaine's home, the lamps were lit outside the front door. Tash paused, preparing to knock, but Firae simply threw the door open and strode inside.<p>

Tash was fairly certain that Firae had never before encountered a building that he could not simply walk into at his leisure.

Once inside, however, it quickly became clear that neither one of them knew what they were doing. Tash bit his lip and looked nervously at Firae, who didn't look any more confident than Tash felt. Before either of them could think of what to say, however, they heard the muffled sounds of unmistakable activity from the bedroom upstairs.

Tash rolled his eyes. "My gods, do they _ever _stop?" he muttered. Firae chuckled softly. He looked at Tash and arched an eyebrow, then proceeded to re-open the front door and slam it closed with a loud bang.

The noises from upstairs ceased, and then there was conversation and shuffling and before long Kurt was skipping down the stairs to greet them wearing only a thin blue shift, his skin flushed and his hair a tangled mess.

"You're back!" He said happily, bouncing slightly as he reached the floor. "So. How was your _walk?"_

Firae gave Kurt a pointed look. His tone was so lascivious that he almost sounded like he was channeling Puck.

"It was _lovely,_" Tash said firmly. Firae cast him a fond look and nodded in agreement.

Kurt smiled. "Well. It's far too late to fly back to Cloudlen. You'll both have to stay here. Blaine and I have the guest chamber all set up for you."

Firae flushed slightly, and averted his eyes from Tash. "Um," he managed to say.

"Oh," Kurt said, his eyes widening in mock-innocence. "We _do _just have the one extra room – that's all right, isn't it?"

There was no objective way to tell which man standing before him was blushing harder.

"Kurt," Blaine said fondly, descending the stairs and wrapping his arms around his husband from behind. Kurt leaned back into the embrace.

Blaine gave their two guests a compassionate smile. "There are also extra linens in the sitting room. The sofa is quite comfortable too, if Tash would prefer to sleep there."

Kurt scowled.

"I...um..." Tash muttered.

"How about this," Blaine said, kissing the tip of Kurt's ear softly. "Kurt and I are going back to bed. The spare linens are in the chest beside the sofa. The guest room will comfortably accommodate either one or two. Sleep wherever you like."

"Thank you, Blaine," Firae said with a relieved smile. Blaine pulled a reluctant Kurt up the stairs behind him, pausing to whisper something in his ear halfway up. Whatever Blaine whispered seemed to erase Kurt's reluctance entirely, and suddenly Tash and Firae were once again very much alone.

"I...I can take the sofa," Tash murmured.

"Only if you want to," Firae answered quickly. "Or...I could take the sofa and you could have the bed."

Tash couldn't hide his surprise.

"What?" Firae asked defensively.

"Firae, have you _ever_ in your _life_ slept on a sofa before?"

Firae tried to look offended but couldn't quite manage it. "No," he admitted. "But I'd do it for you."

Tash smiled shyly. He pulled Firae to him and kissed him softly. "Or," he breathed, "we could go with Kurt's original suggestion. But only if you want to."

Firae pulled back just far enough to look deeply into Tash's eyes.

"I want to," he said.

* * *

><p>Neither of them were entirely sure when they started kissing.<p>

But it was very apparent that they were lying against soft sheets on Blaine and Kurt's guest bed, and they had probably been there for at least an hour. It was also clear that Firae had started to unlace Tash's tunic, and Tash's hands had found their way down to the muscular curve of Firae's ass and begun rhythmically kneading.

Firae pulled Tash's tunic off and began kissing his way down Tash's neck, pausing above the faint scar on his chest where the marriage tattoo used to be. The notion of panicking crossed Tash's mind briefly, but before he could even start Firae was pressing the softest kiss imaginable to the scar. He glanced up, met Tash's eyes, and said "you're perfect."

Tash wanted to argue, but his nipple was suddenly in Firae's mouth and all coherent thought dissolved until he was nothing but a puddle of sensation.

Firae ran his hands and mouth reverently down Tash's body, tasting and stroking the smooth golden skin, running his hands across the firm muscles of his arms and chest.

"I've wanted to taste you for so long," Firae murmured, pausing at the waistband of Tash's trousers very briefly before pulling at the lacing there.

"Wait," Tash breathed. Firae paused and looked up at him nervously. "I...I want to touch you too, Firae. I want to _see_ you. I want to see you without having to pretend I'm not looking."

Firae laughed as he removed his own tunic. "So I'm not the only one with a wandering eye at the baths, then."

Tash sat up and smirked. "Your majesty, when you are present, _everyone_ is looking at you."

Tash caught Firae's lips against his and gently shifted their bodies. He lay Firae on his back and hovered over him, taking in his dark eyes and naked chest.

"Don't call me that," whispered Firae. His tone was sheepish rather than accusatory.

"What, your majesty?"

Firae grimaced, looking, in that moment, so very young.

"That's not why they look at you, you know. Well, perhaps in some cases it is, but even if you weren't King everyone would still look at you."

"Even you?"

Tash raised his eyebrows and made a tiny, heartbroken sound. _"Firae."_

Tash leaned in to kiss Firae soft, slow and lingering. He pulled back from the kiss and watched Firae as his eyelids fluttered open. "If you'd have been Common Caste – maybe even Spirit or Circle – I would have pursued this _much_ sooner," Tash said firmly. "It is _you_ I care about, Firae, not your power."

Firae inhaled sharply, the tremor unmistakable. Tash gently took the King's face between his palms.

"It's..." Firae searched Tash's face, "I...I don't think anyone has ever wanted me before." Tash make a noise of disbelief.

"No, I don't mean...what I mean, Tash, is that no one has ever wanted _me_ before. Just me. Not the Child King of the Eastern Border Lands, not Gira's son, not a...a _high-status fuck_. Just..."

"Just Firae," Tash supplied. Firae bit his lip and nodded slightly, his face still cradled in Tash's hands.

"Well, _I_ want you Firae. I want all of you, and I don't want to share you. And I hope you know that I am _more_ than prepared to deal with any pretty boys that bat their eyelashes at you." Tash leaned in close, so close that the tips of their noses brushed together. "I'm the jealous type, Firae. And you know _exactly_ what I'm capable of."

Firae's eyes darkened at the words, and he trembled beneath Tash. "I'm yours," he whispered, his voice shaking with need.

Tash surged toward him, kissing Firae hard and desperate and intense. Firae dug his fingers into Tash's hair and pulled him even closer. Tash hovered above him on his knees until Firae threw his legs up, wrapping them around Tash's waist and pulling their hips together. They gasped into one another's mouths as their groins made contact for the first time.

Tash lowered himself onto Firae and began to rock his hips, kissing his way down the King's throat and groaning at the sensation.

"Tash," Firae whispered, his lips tickling the shell of Tash's ear. "Please. I want...I want to feel you inside me."

Tash pulled his head back to look Firae in the eye. There wasn't even the slightest hint of hesitation there.

He silently thanked Kurt for the bouquet of freshly picked red flowers that had been placed rather pointedly on the bedside table.

They made short work of their trousers, and when Firae finally lay naked before him, Tash simply sat back and _stared._ He had seen Firae naked before, but he'd never seen him hard. Tash was fairly certain that he'd never before seen such a mouth-watering sight.

Firae was staring at Tash as well in open wonderment. "Gods, Tash, you're gorg-_ahhh!"_Firae abandoned his attempt to speak and let his head fall back against the pillows as Tash took him into his mouth.

Tash relaxed his throat and allowed his tongue to wind around Firae's cock as he slowly bobbed his head, and nothing existed in that moment but the taste of Firae, the thick, velvety contours of him against Tash's lips, the sounds of pleasure he was making, his hands in Tash's hair.

Tash placed his hands firmly on Firae's hips as they began to jerk slightly, speeding up and increasing his suction.

"_Tash...please...close..I..I...gods...want you...want you to..." _Firae was barely coherent, but the underlying message was clear enough. Tash pulled off of Firae and looked down at him. His chest was heaving and his eyes were nearly black with desire.

Tentatively, Tash reached for one of the flowers. He gave Firae a nervous smile. "Are you...?"

Firae returned the smile. "Yes." His voice was rough. _ "Absolutely."_

Tash didn't work Firae open immediately, instead drizzling him with a thin trickle of flower-oil, making swirling patterns of sensation across his chest and stomach. He drizzled Firae's cock and gave it a few slow pumps before Firae whimpered and grabbed him around the wrist. Their eyes met, and they didn't need any words.

They were ready. There was no turning back, and this could make everything in their lives more difficult. It would definitely make things more complicated. But they both knew that this was it. Once they made love, they would belong to one another.

And there was nothing that either of them wanted more.

Firae touched Tash's cheek gently. "Kiss me," he murmured. Tash slicked his fingers with oil and leaned in to kiss Firae slow and soft as he began to run his fingertips lightly across Firae's entrance.

Firae moaned and spread his legs wide, arching into the touch. He gasped as Tash's fingers slid inside of him, one by one, and gave a cry that sounded almost like a sustained musical note when Tash found that heavenly spot inside of him. Tash simply gazed at Firae between kisses, struck by how beautiful he looked awash with pleasure.

Firae hooked his hands around the back of Tash's neck as Tash moved his fingers out of Firae's body, bracing himself on his arms and staring down at him.

"All right?" Tash breathed.

"All right," Firae answered, smiling against Tash's lips as they kissed once more.

Tash entered him slowly, gently, his face buried in the crook of Firae's neck as he cursed under his breath at the magnitude of pleasure rippling through him.

They were close, _so _close, their chests flush and their hips slotted together like they were made to be connected. They spent a moment, heavy and warm and overwhelming, just exactly like that. Not moving. Not speaking. Their eyes met and they both fought back proclamations of love. It wasn't time for that. Not yet.

But soon. _Soon._

Tash began to move, his eyes rolling back in his head at the tight perfect warmth of Firae's body around him. Firae gave a soft moan in response, angling his hips up to engulf Tash's cock more completely. They continued to move together slowly, Firae wrapping his legs around Tash's waist, Tash changing his angle slightly with each thrust until Firae gave a particularly loud and broken moan, indicating that Tash had found his target.

They sped up their movements as they found their rhythm, but they didn't let it turn too fast or too rough. They savored each other, rolling their hips together and exchanging small, sporadic kisses. Firae ran his hands up and down Tash's back, loving the feel of the flexing muscles there, his heels digging into the firm flesh of Tash's ass.

They were lost in one another's bodies. All the hesitation and the insecurity had been pointless, because this was right. This was perfect. They belonged together in every single way, and nothing that stood in their way was real because _this_ was real. Just this.

Always this.

When Tash settled his weight onto one arm, bringing the other between them to grasp Firae's cock tightly, Firae nearly sobbed with pleasure. He began whispering Tash's name fervently, as if in prayer, clutching at the flesh of his back and writhing beneath him.

Tash rolled his hips hard in just the right way, hitting the pleasure-spot inside Firae as he rubbed the pad of his thumb into the underside of Firae's cock. Firae screamed, arching his back hard and throwing his head back, the tendons of his neck straining.

Tash couldn't look away. He couldn't imagine anything in the world that could possibly be sexier than watching Firae fall apart like this, completely overwhelmed with pleasure and mindlessly desperate for even more. Tash slowed his movements and switched to a pace that was slow, hard and methodical, hitting roughly against Firae's pleasure-spot on every thrust while he pumped him with his hand. Firae squirmed and bucked until he was coming hard, and the sight of Firae coming, coupled with the feeling of his muscles contracting as he did so was entirely too much for Tash. He came harder than he had ever imagined coming, and didn't even realize that he was screaming Firae's name until his voice stopped working and he fell on top of him breathlessly.

They lay like that, panting and messy and tangled, for several minutes before Tash could bring himself to get up and find something to clean them off. Firae remained a boneless puddle on the bed.

Tash climbed back in beside him and Firae sighed deeply, turning to snuggle up against him.

They kissed and smiled and sighed and held each other close, fighting sleep so that they could stay in this moment, linger here for as long as physically possible.

"Kurt is going to be so smug in the morning," Tash finally grumbled. Firae laughed softly.

"Yes, I suppose he will be. We weren't exactly quiet, were we?"

"No. I'm not sorry, though. First of all, I've had to overhear he and Blaine _more_ than enough times for this lifetime and the next, and secondly, I...I liked hearing you."

Firae smiled. "I liked hearing you too."

"I like knowing that I can make you feel that good."

"You make me feel amazing."

"You _are_ amazing."

Firae leaned in and kissed Tash thoroughly before settling against him with his head on Tash's chest. He listened to the steady, soothing beat of Tash's heart and let his eyes slide closed. He felt himself begin to drift out of consciousness until Tash's voice cut through the haze and pulled him back.

"Hmmm?" Firae asked sleepily.

Tash chuckled softly, brushing a loose strand of hair from Firae's forehead. "I was just asking...well, earlier you said..."

"What?" Firae prodded after a moment, giving Tash's nipple a light pinch.

"Well, I was just wondering...exactly how many children would constitute _several?_

Firae gave a snort of laughter. He wrapped a hand around Tash's bicep, and for the first time that he could remember, he felt valued and important in a way that had nothing to do with his political stature. For the first time that he could remember, he felt like he was first in someone's heart.

"Well," he said, burrowing into Tash's embrace and loving the way that Tash responded, wrapping him up tight and safe in his arms. "How many do you think you could handle?"


End file.
